Pinal County officials outline wildfire readiness, animal shelter plans and cleanup tools

Supervisor Surtees opened a county work session on wildfire risk by saying Pinal County needed a countywide discussion after major fires elsewhere and social-media-fueled public concern. The supervisors heard from the county Emergency Manager, local fire chiefs, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM), county Animal Care and Control and several mayors on readiness and gaps in preparedness.

County Emergency Manager Corey Redden said Pinal County’s emergency responders work “very frequently throughout the year” and described the county as “unsiloed,” with local fire districts, state forestry and law enforcement coordinating on planning, outreach and suppression. He invited fire professionals to speak first and said the county would gather unanswered questions and return with follow-up information.

The Superstition Fire Medical District chief, John Whitney, called Firewise “the gold standard of community wildfire preparedness and protection,” and urged residents to work through HOAs or their local fire district to obtain neighborhood assessments and guidance on defensible space. Whitney said individual homeowners can call their local fire department for site reviews and best-practice recommendations.

Tom Torres, director of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, said the state has increased investments and coordinated meetings with insurers through a Resiliency and Mitigation Council. Torres told the board that “Arizona is really expanding the implementation of the Firewise Program” and that the state was meeting monthly with insurance officials and fire leaders to identify mitigations that would influence underwriting decisions.

Torres and other speakers also outlined operational tools and limits. County code enforcement staff explained the county’s program is complaint-driven and reactive; it cannot proactively staff countywide patrols for weeds and trash but can investigate and use property-maintenance and zoning codes to compel cleanup. The county described a newer Rubbish, Trash and Debris (RTO) program that allows faster cleanup and, if owners refuse, county cleanup with a lien placed on the property.

Speakers described jurisdictional confusion for linear rights-of-way such as washes and railroad corridors. A county official noted railroads have special protections tied to historic railroad agreements and possess private police forces; county staff said they would contact Union Pacific but could not guarantee enforcement authority over railroad property. The Department of Forestry recommended checking agreements for state trust lands and other underlying land-ownership terms that affect responsibility for cleanup.

Speakers also addressed debris disposal and post‑clearing handling. Tom Torres and local leaders said mechanical chipping and hauling is a frequent approach but costly; some communities have used air-curtain incinerators (smokeless burners) but obtaining and funding those devices is difficult. Superior’s mayor said her town bought an air-curtain burner with federal recovery funds and offered to coordinate regional use where feasible.

Animal sheltering and evacuation were a repeated concern. Audra Michael, director of Animal Care and Control, said mass shelters often cannot accept animals inside human emergency shelters (for example, Red Cross rules) and described several county assets that could be used for animals: an unmanned Salmon Well shelter with roughly 20 kennels and a large lot, the Pinal County Fairgrounds, and potential MOUs with schools or community centers. Michael urged local volunteer organization planning so kennels and transport assets would be ready if needed.

Mayor Wilson (Apache Junction) and Mayor Miele (Superior) described past evacuations and existing arrangements for large animals: the Pinal County Fairgrounds and Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds have been designated as large-animal reception sites in prior incidents, but officials warned facility capacity and staffing limit how many animals can be safely managed. Mayor Miele also said the Boyce Thompson Arboretum needs hydrants and estimated upgrades have risen sharply in cost.

Emergency communications and evacuation logistics were reviewed. Lauren McVicker, manager of the county communications center, described the Pinal Emergency Notification System (PENS) and how residents can register, designate special needs, and receive geo-targeted “polygon” alerts so messages reach only affected streets. County staff said they rely on on-scene law enforcement and fire personnel to define evacuation polygons and that PENS is used to send “Ready, Set, Go” evacuation advisories.

State forestry officials and local chiefs warned the 2025 fire season is expected to be significant. Torres summarized recent statewide statistics and forecasts: “There was about 2,100 fires that burned about 280,000 acres,” and predictive services indicate parts of Arizona can expect an active season. Speakers said the state has increased aircraft contracts and entered interstate resource compacts to share suppression assets.

Supervisors and staff identified follow-up needs: confirm hydrant function in some districts; map ownership and responsibility for problematic washes and railroad corridors; examine use of inmate or supervised work crews for chip‑and‑haul operations; expand public information on Firewise certification and grant opportunities; and formalize MOUs with schools or fairgrounds for animal sheltering. County staff and state officials offered contact names for grant and resource coordination.

The session closed with supervisors urging residents to prepare defensible space, assemble evacuation and “get‑home” bags, register for PENS, and volunteer with local animal-rescue efforts so sheltering plans can be implemented quickly if a large fire occurs.